Prospect Dream Draft: The First Five Rounds

It wasn’t easy to leave Strasburg on the board, but given a choice between a premium position player and a premium pitcher, I felt like going with the everyday guy was the right choice.

1

2

Lingo

Stephen Strasburg

RHP

WAS

An ideal situation; let Conor make the tough decision and take the great player who’s left.

1

3

Leventhal

Mike Stanton

OF

FLA

Unlike the first two picks, there was no obvious candidate at No. 3. I was tempted to tab the best pitcher on the board (Matusz), but decided Stanton’s offensive potential was too much to pass up.

1

4

Cooper

Jesus Montero

C

NYY

Debated between Montero and Jennings, but opted for Montero because my philosophy was to go with the best bat when possible.

1

5

Eddy

Desmond Jennings

OF

TB

Franchise center fielder with power, speed, on-base skills and defense—a fine way to launch any farm system, real or pretend.

1

6

Fitt

Brian Matusz

LHP

BAL

I would have taken Matusz as high as No. 3; he’s a sure-fire top-of-the-rotation starter with terrific stuff, command, makeup and mechanics.

1

7

Badler

Buster Posey

C

SF

I had my eye on Jennings until Eddy took him; I’ll settle for a big league-ready catcher who has a chance to post .400+ OBPs.

1

8

Callis

Pedro Alvarez

3B

PIT

My pipe dream coming into the draft with the No. 8 pick was Montero, but that wasn’t going to happen. I had Alvarez fifth on my draft board.

1

9

Rode

Carlos Santana

C

CLE

A switch-hitting catcher with power and good defense? Yes please. I was a little surprised I had the opportunity to get him at No. 9.

1

10

Shonerd

Neftali Feliz

RHP

TEX

I had Feliz pegged as the No. 2 pitcher on my board, so I was thrilled to get him at 10th overall. I feel he’ll be a starter and that arm is too electric to pass up.

1

11

Manuel

Madison Bumgarner

LHP

SF

He’s the blueprint of the kind of pitcher I love—physical, lefthanded, athletic, commands the fastball. Everything else will flow from there, and I’m not worried about the ’09 velocity loss.

SECOND ROUND

2

12

Manuel

Domonic Brown

OF

PHI

He’s still a bit raw, but Brown has all the tools and some advanced hitting ability. He has a chance to be a superstar and should at least be a solid-average big leaguer.

2

13

Shonerd

Dustin Ackley

2B/OF

SEA

With Feliz on board, I wanted to get a premium bat and Ackley was the best available. I looked at Justin Smoak here, but Ackley’s versatility helped tip the scales in his favor.

2

14

Rode

Starlin Castro

SS

CHC

I believe in good teams having strength up the middle so I didn’t want to wait around too long before grabbing a viable shortstop option.

2

15

Callis

Alcides Escobar

SS

MIL

I couldn’t believe I almost got Ackley, whom I coveted. After touting Castro all offseason, he goes right in front of me. I almost took Smoak but chose a stud up-the-middle player instead.

2

16

Badler

Martin Perez

LHP

TEX

After Strasburg, Perez and Matusz are the two best pitching prospects in baseball.

2

17

Fitt

Justin Smoak

1B

TEX

I was shocked—and thrilled—to get a low-risk, high-reward, switch-hitting slugger at No. 17. This was the best-case scenario for my draft.

2

18

Eddy

Logan Morrison

1B

FLA

Fitt took the guesswork out of this selection when he took Smoak one pick before, but Morrison’s offensive profile represents more than consolation prize.

2

19

Cooper

Casey Kelly

RHP

BOS

One of the best young starting pitching prospects around who has a fall-back position of being a solid SS prospect.

2

20

Leventhal

Lonnie Chisenhall

3B

CLE

My pre-draft strategy of loading up on pitching was sabotaged again when the smooth lefthanded-hitting third baseman was available this late.

2

21

Lingo

Chris Carter

1B/OF

OAK

I’m not sure where he’s going to play, but I know Carter is going to hit.

2

22

Glassey

Tyler Matzek

LHP

COL

Matzek was the guy I was hoping to land at 22 and made choosing Heyward over Strasburg a little easier. He has very rare arm strength for a lefthander and some teams felt he was the second-best pitcher in last year’s draft. Rode punched me in the arm after I made this pick.

THIRD ROUND

3

23

Manuel

Jeremy Hellickson

RHP

TB

I had Hellickson No. 15 in my personal top 50 and I’m extremely pleased to get him this low. Another fastball-command guy with advanced pitchability and excellent secondary stuff, he’s a great complement to Bumgarner.

3

24

Shonerd

Kyle Drabek

RHP

TOR

I’d projected Drabek to go higher, so I feel pretty good about getting him here. I might’ve gone for Hellickson if he had been available, but Manuel made it academic.

3

25

Rode

Ryan Westmoreland

OF

BOS

Another up-the-middle guy, I felt Westmoreland was the best guy on the board and even got a reaction out of Callis. And Matzek wasn’t available…

3

26

Callis

Aaron Hicks

OF

MIN

I would have taken Westmoreland, but I can’t complain about getting a slightly more proven commodity and antoher stud athlete in Hicks. I couldn’t quite pull the trigger on Aroldis Chapman.

3

27

Badler

Michael Taylor

OF

OAK

I have Taylor as one of the top 10 position prospects in baseball, a premium talent ready to contribute immediately.

3

28

Fitt

Jacob Turner

RHP

DET

He’s not as safe as my first two picks, but Turner’s upside is monstrous, and he’s polished for a prep product with no pro experience. Smooth mechanics bode well for his future.

3

29

Eddy

Christian Friedrich

LHP

COL

No pitcher is without warts at this point in the draft, but if Friedrich steps up his fastball command to pair with his plus curve and slider, then he could be a Matusz clone.

3

30

Cooper

Aroldis Chapman

LHP

CIN

He may be riskier than some other picks around here, but his stuff can be as good as anyone not named Strasburg.

3

31

Leventhal

Wade Davis

RHP

TB

I mistakenly tried to draft Hellickson here, but was plenty pleased to land his major league-ready teammate.

3

32

Lingo

Jason Castro

C

HOU

I think this guy gets underrated because he doesn’t have one overwhelming tool, but I’m perfectly happy to have a guy who will be a solid big league catcher for years.

3

33

Glassey

Brett Wallace

3B/1B

TOR

He may have questions defensively, but there’s no question that he can hit. He’s a polished on-base machine that is nearly ready to hit in the middle of a big league lineup.

FOURTH ROUND

4

34

Glassey

Mike Leake

RHP

CIN

I may have reached a little for Leake, but with the back-to-back picks, I had to grab guys I really wanted. I love Leake’s combination of stuff, command and makeup. He’s a safe bet to make it to the big leagues quickly and has No. 2 upside.

4

35

Lingo

Jared Mitchell

OF

CWS

Got some athleticism and a guy who has performed in spite of also playing college football.

4

36

Leventhal

Casey Crosby

LHP

DET

I could have taken Montgomery here (see below), but I think Crosby’s value will only rise with another full season to develop secondary pitches that will complement a 92-95 mph fastball.

4

37

Cooper

Mike Montgomery

LHP

KC

A lefty with a mid-90s fastball, a feel for pitching, control and secondary stuff? There’s a whole lot to like there.

4

38

Eddy

James Darnell

3B

SD

Love the athleticism, the makeup, the power, the batting eye . . . so what if he slides down the defensive spectrum to a corner outfield post?

4

39

Fitt

Derek Norris

C

WAS

He’s got a real chance to stay behind the plate, but even if he doesn’t, Norris will be a quality power hitter with a patient approach.

4

40

Badler

Jenrry Mejia

RHP

NYM

Mejia’s an unusual prospect, but he has No. 1 starter potential with a ridiculous fastball to blow by hitters or induce grounders.

4

41

Callis

Kyle Gibson

RHP

MIN

Gibson has been a personal favorite of mine since he was an Indiana high schooler, so I don’t think I surprised anyone with this pick.

4

42

Rode

Freddie Freeman

1B

ATL

Often in the shadow of Heyward, Freeman gives me a high upside bat for the middle of a lineup.

4

43

Shonerd

Josh Bell

3B

BAL

Bell’s not far from being big league ready, and I’m looking for a power bat here, so he fits the bill nicely.

4

44

Manuel

Nick Hagadone

LHP

CLE

I believe in the power arm, the comeback from Tommy John surgery and think he’s got a better-than-even chance to remain a starter. He’s an impact arm in any role.

FIFTH ROUND

5

45

Manuel

Matt Moore

LHP

TB

I’ve liked this big-armed lefthander with terrific strikeout numbers since writing him up as New Mexico’s top draft prospect in 2007.

5

46

Shonerd

Aaron Crow

RHP

KC

Maybe he got a bit lost in the shuffle with that detour to indy ball, but with two plus pitches and command, it’s easy to remember why Crow was the top college righthander in the 2008 draft with the potential to move quickly.

5

47

Rode

Shelby Miller

RHP

STL

I didn’t mean to take this long to go for a front of the rotation arm, but was excited to have a shot at a fireballer like Miller.

5

48

Callis

Dee Gordon

SS

LAD

I was hoping Crow would get back to me, but I’ll gladly take the most athletic shortstop in the minors. He’ll get better with experience.

5

49

Badler

Jarrod Parker

RHP

ARI

Yeah, the Tommy John surgery is a concern, but his arm action is clean, he’s athletic and if he’s healthy, he has the best stuff in baseball of any prospect whose surname isn’t Strasburg.

5

50

Fitt

Todd Frazier

OF/2B/3B

CIN

Frazier can really hit, and he’s a gamer. No matter what position he lands at, he’ll produce in the majors for a long time—and soon.

5

51

Eddy

Austin Jackson

OF

DET

Jackson’s natural athleticism will enable him to excel in the batter’s box . . . in time. His turn in the IL last year bears a passing resemblance to Andrew McCutchen, circa 2008.

5

52

Cooper

Wilson Ramos

C

MIN

I think Ramos is one of the better sleepers out there, but he gets lost because of the large number of solid catching prospects. As an above-average catcher with a solid bat, he’s very interesting prospect.

5

53

Leventhal

Julio Teheran

RHP

ATL

A car full of BA editors returned from Burlington last summer raving about Teheran after seeing him pitch, so I was thrilled to get the Appy League’s top prospect late in the fifth round.

5

54

Lingo

Tyler Flowers

C

CWS

Not worried about position in this draft, so I took another catcher. He may have to move eventually, but his bat should play anywhere.

5

55

Glassey

Michael Saunders

OF

SEA

Saunders fell a little bit probably because of his underwhelming big league debut, but this is a guy that hit .310/.378/.544 in Tacoma and was our No. 25 prospect mid-season. I couldn’t pass that up.